Action of 16 July 1950

The Action of 16 July 1950 (16-17 July 1950) took place during the Korean War when the US Navy intercepted a squadron of four North Korean merchant marine ships carrying Korean People's Army troops off the coast of Hawaii. The North Korean fleet did not have the ability to mount an effective defense against the American ships, and the possible North Korean invasion of Hawaii was thwarted.

History
North Korea had a very limited navy, the Korean People's Navy, since 1946, although the navy had no real strength at the start of the Korean War in 1950. When the conflict began, the United States shipped over tens of thousands of soldiers to South Korea to assist the Republic of Korea Army in fihting against the Korean People's Army on the front line, which was moving rapidly. North Korea also sought to take the war to their enemy's soil, so they sent KPA troops aboard four merchant marine ships to move against the American homeland. On 16 July 1950, some of the US Pacific Fleet intercepted the North Korean ships as they moved towards the islands of Hawaii, where critical US Navy bases were located. The Americans dispatched seven ships to intercept the North Korean ships, with several more being deployed to attack the North Koreans. In the end, all four ships were destroyed towards the end of 17 July 1950.